MY ENGLISH INTERPRETATION AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF STANZAS 33-48
Stanza 33 - "Nourish yourself early, unless a friend's table calls; a starving man becomes lethargic, and even the sharpest wits become impaired.”
If you've ever heard the phrase 'the early bird gets the worm,' then you're familiar with this stanza's message. Quite simply, Stanza 33 advises us to eat early in the morning to energize ourselves for the day ahead. While many of us in modern times work less laborious jobs, this advice is still applicable to all.
Eating something in the morning ensures that you're properly fuelled to handle the challenges of the day. Leaving yourself hungry will result in a lack of energy, lethargy, and thus a drop in productivity.
Stanza 34 - “Choose your friends wisely: the path to a bad friend is long and treacherous, even if they're nearby. A good friend makes even the longest journey easy.”
Another simple stanza emphasising the importance of carefully choosing your friends. A good friend is one you will happily travel a long way to go and see, with the journey being full of excitement over discontent.
Personally, I have few friends, but I admire and appreciate them all greatly. Traveling for half a day to go and see them would be absolutely no issue for me, as the time that we're going to spend together is assured to be filled with great moments and a lot of fun.
Stanza 35 - “Don't overstay your welcome; Respect boundaries, maintain independence, and leave social situations on a high note to nurture positive relationships.”
Stanza 35 offers some practical advice for proper conduct when either visiting a friend or attending some form of social event. We’re advised to respect the boundaries and privacy of others, maintain our independence, and always leave with proper timing and on a high note with others.
Overstaying your welcome and expecting too much of your hosts can lead to you being perceived as someone overbearing or possibly annoying. This can have a knock-on effect of others not wanting your company, or treating you differently as a result.
Stanza 36 - "Having a home, no matter how humble, grants stability and dignity. This is far superior to a life of dependence and uncertainty.”
Stanza 36 underscores the value and importance of self-sufficiency and independence. We’re told specifically that having a place to call home, no matter how small, is better than the uncertainty of depending on others.
I myself moved out at 18 to stay on the university campus, followed by a few years of staying in student house shares before finally moving in with my partner. If there’s one thing I observed, it’s that there was a huge difference between those who lived with their parents during their studies and those who chose to move out. Those who lived with their parents were on average less independent, but better off financially.
I certainly struggled financially, but I think for myself it was worth it, especially in terms of learning how to manage my finances and work with what little I had.
Stanza 37 - "Having a home, no matter how humble, is preferable to constant dependency on others. It nurtures self-sufficiency, stability, and a sense of pride."
The message of Stanza 37 is a direct follow-up to that of 36, in that having a home is better for you as an individual than relying on others. There are many ways to look at this, and of course, there’s a lot of nuance and context to consider.
I can’t cover everything in one synopsis, but I think this is *somewhat* good advice for young people. The downside to moving out young is that you’re still at the start of your career, and probably not earning much. It’s easy for some to become trapped in a cycle of renting and struggling to save.
The upside comes in the value of becoming self-sustaining and independent. Would I advise you to move out of your home as early as you can? I’m not sure. I think if you have an agreement with your family in which you live with them whilst saving to buy a home, you’ll be in a better position than renting. That being said, renting teaches you invaluable skills. Managing your finances, handling bills & expenses, and developing your own routine are just a few.
Stanza 38 - "Be trained and ready for combat at all times. Carry your wits and wisdom about you to deter the unpredictable conflict that life will throw at you”
The message of Stanza 38 is one that I wholeheartedly agree with. I think every individual should train in one form of combat or another, at the very least just to be prepared for the uncertainty and reality of the world that we live in.
Knowing how to fight and handle a potentially dangerous situation is a vital skill that will aid you in all areas of life. You’ll carry yourself with more confidence and be less of an easy target for would-be predators. You’ll also learn discipline and respect, and you’ll be in a far better position to protect yourself and those around you.
This is true for men especially. Men tend to be more assertive and aggressive in their disagreements, and being dangerous they controlled is a great deterrent. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being physically fit and healthy with consistent training.
Stanza 39 - “Reciprocity and hospitality are the vital indicators of thriving relationships: repay kindness with kindness, and treachery with treachery.”
Reciprocity is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most crucial determining factor when it comes to the success of long-term relationships. These could be romantic relationships, friendships, marriages, office relationships, etc. If two humans are to be in close proximity for long periods of time, the success of that arrangement is determined by how reciprocal they are with one another.
Reciprocity is defined as the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, typically involving a give-and-take relationship where both parties benefit or contribute in some way.
Many marriages and friendships break down due to a reciprocity imbalance. One person consistently doing or giving more than the other is not a recipe for long-term success. If you’ve worked with a team of people in your life, you’ll know just how 'highly' people tend to speak of those who don’t handle their fair share.
Stanza 40 - "It’s wise to live frugally, but not at the expense of your own needs. What you save for your children may end up in the hands of your enemies.”
I think the advice presented in Stanza 40 is incredibly important in today's climate, especially with the current issues were dealing with. House prices and the cost of living are becoming serious issues for a large majority of people, so living frugally and saving money where you can is sound advice to live by.
At the same time, you shouldn’t prioritise hoarding at the expense of your health and quality of life. Cutting back on some luxuries so that you can accumulate that money and put it towards a house deposit or some investments is a great sacrifice to make for your future.
On the other hand, ignoring your health to save an extra penny is not something I’d advise if you can afford to save some money while eating well. Naturally, there’s a lot of nuance and context to be taken into consideration with many of these stanzas, and that’s certainly something I’ll take note of in the book.
Stanza 41 - "A friend should provide a friend with weapons, clothing, and good council. Generous reciprocal giving is the key to fruitful and lifelong friendships."
Stanza 41 is essentially a direct follow-up to 39’s message, which emphasises the crucial role that reciprocity plays across all forms of interpersonal relationships. Stanza 41 specifically touches on this notion of giving and receiving, pointing out both physical gifts [clothing, weapons, etc.] alongside acts of service, such as lending an empathetic ear and giving counsel when necessary.
I think it’s very important to keep the concept of reciprocity in mind for all of your relationships with others. Take the time to reflect on how you treat those around you in relation to how they treat you. Is your partner doing considerably more in the relationship? Is your friend visiting you more than you visit them?
Taking the time to reflect on these things can make you realise just how much you might be taking those around you for granted, or how much they’re taking you for granted. An imbalance of reciprocity typically leads to resentment in one form or another, which over time sees the relationship slowly break down and wither away.
Stanza 42 - “Generosity, hospitality and reciprocity are the indicators of thriving long-term partnerships. Repay a gift with a gift, and reward treachery with treachery.”
Where stanza 41 points out the reality of how the rule of reciprocity determines the long-term success of your relationships, stanza 42 is a direct call to action to treat those as they treat you. Quite simply, we’re advised to repay kind actions with kind actions of our own, and treacherous acts in retaliation with our own.
Personally, I’d argue for the former and against the latter. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘an eye for an eye,’ and it certainly applies here. If someone has consistently shown that they’re willing to act in a disloyal, dishonest, or disingenuous way towards you, I would advise you just walk away from them.
Of course, context is key here, don’t leave your spouse because they watched a TV show without you. If they cheated though? I'd personally show them the door.
Stanza 43 - “The wise know that they should be a loyal friend to their friends, and to their friends too. However, one should never befriend the enemy of their friend.”
Stanza 43 covers the importance of loyalty and the power that it holds over long-term friendships. The advice is simple, treat your friends well, and treat their friends with the same dignity. At the same time, don’t make friends with those whom your own friends would consider enemies.
The consequence of befriending the enemies of your friends is obvious, you stand to lose your friends through the perception that you aren’t as loyal to them as they may have thought you were. Spending time with the enemies of your friends is only going to foster doubt in the value that your relationship holds, alongside the status of your loyalty to them.
Stanza 44 - “If you have a close friend, and you want good things to come of this friendship -- you should speak your mind with them, exchange gifts, and visit often.”
Stanza 44 offers us three practical ways in which we can nurture the long-term success of our friendships: Speak truthfully with them, make the effort to visit often and exchange gifts when you do.
I think something as simple as a bottle of alcohol or some baked goods make for perfect visiting gifts, and visiting regularly shows your friends how much they mean to you. Visiting often in particular shows them that though your time may be limited, it's worth spending in their company.
What interests me most about this stanza is the idea of speaking true amongst your good friends. Being able to speak your mind openly is a good sign of a true friendship, as is being comfortable to challenge and disagree without the worry of a negative or explosive reaction.
Stanza 45 - “If you have a friend who you mistrust but you want to benefit from, you should speak kindly, with flattery, and repay their treachery with your own.”
Stanza 45 offers an interesting insight into Odin’s character, as he essentially advises us to keep those that we mistrust around if they can be of some use to us. His advice is very manipulative, in that you should fake flattery and lie in order to make use of them.
On the one hand, I can see how this would be useful. If they have consistently shown you nothing but dishonesty and disloyalty, then maybe they’re deserving of such treachery. At the same time, it might better serve you to cut off the friendship and focus your time and energy on those friends who you can benefit from, but also trust at the same time.
I guess context and discernment are important when making such a judgment.
Stanza 46 - "If you mistrust that same 'friend' and suspect him to be false in his words, speak and laugh with him cautiously, and repay what he gives to you.”
As a direct continuation of stanza 45, Stanza 46 offers a practical take on how to handle this mistrusted ‘friend.’ My interpretation of this is that you should cautiously speak and laugh with him, but remain vigilant to his actions and intentions. At the end of the day, you are walking a fine line by keeping this person around and faking a friendship with them just for your own benefit.
The ‘repay what he gives you,’ line is about an eye on his actions, repaying kindness with kindness to keep up appearances, and treachery with treachery should he step out of line.’
Stanza 47 - “In youth's solitude, I walked astray; but meeting a fellow traveller, I found true richness in shared moments. People's joy finds its essence in the connections they forge along life's path.”
Stanza 47 speaks to the importance of creating and nurturing positive friendships and relationships. The concept of loneliness is something covered in more detail in later stanzas, but it’s touched on here. We’re told that as humans, we find joy in the connections that we make as we journey through life.
We’re naturally social creatures, so this is as important as it is true. The network that you build throughout your journey will absolutely have a profound impact on your quality of life.
If you surround yourself with close friends whom you can trust and laugh with, you’ll find more happiness and meaning in life. If you surround yourself with deceitful, manipulative, and untrustworthy people, you’re sure to experience a life of backstabbing and misery.
Stanza 48 - "The wise and courageous one lives life unhindered by grudges. Kindness and forgiveness is a path to letting go of the worries and anxieties that will inevitably hold you back.”
The idea of forgiveness and letting go is a timeless wisdom that has been explored over and over in a variety of different mediums. It’s not at all surprising that Odin’s poem of wisdom would cover this interesting topic. Teaching yourself to let go of the injustices done to you and not hold your grudges is an invaluable skill. It also tends to be one of those wisdom gained through time, experiences, and age.
Holding grudges against people can lead to overthinking, sleepless nights, excessive worrying, and anxiety, all of which will cloud your judgment and impair your progress, both in the short term and potentially the long term too. Such a level of forgiveness also requires a large amount of empathy and understanding. Empathy is a fantastic quality that all should look to nurture within themselves.